Vacuum cleaner



Nov. '16, 1937. H. T. LANG l l VACUUM CLEANER Filed sept'. 1 8, .1936

. si E I kg l .gl N QQ [L U. ,ou

O G @000000 o O O- O G si l' E n i uw I. J; Q 'a v y `S A- ,I-a I 4 ,Ive'mt-r-z Heryl'. Lang,

1:, @M7/ y HIS Attorney.'

Patented Nov. 16, 1937 AUNITI-:D STATES vacuum CLEANER Henry T. Lang, Cleveland, Ohio, assigner to Electrlo Vacuum Cleaner Company, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of New York Application September 18,1936, Serial No. 101,481

Claims. The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners of the type in which the suction producing tion; Fig. 2 is an elevation partly broken awayv of the bag; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the inlet end of the cleaner casing; Fig. 4 is a sec- 'tional view showing the conilguration the bag assumes around the inlet to the fan during the use of the cleaner; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown my invention applied to a vacuum cleaner having a cylindrical casing I provided with supporting wheels 2 for supporting the cleaner on the fioor. Within the left end of the casing is a fan housing which comprises a cup-shaped member 3 at the right end of which is fixed a cup-shaped member 4. Within the fan housing are fans 5 and 5 which are fixed to the shaft 1 of an electric motor 8. The fan 5 discharges peripherally into the cup-shaped member 4, and the Aair flows to the inlet of fan 6 through a def-lector 9 attached to the cup-shaped member 3. The fan 6 discharges peripherally to the cup-shaped member 3, andthe air flows axially between the cup-shaped member 3 and an annular shroud ring I0, and is discharged through an opening II in a cap I2 secured to the end of the casing. The shroud ring I0 extends a substantial distance along the 40 periphery of the electric motor 8 .and provides a relatively unobstructed passage for the air. This decreases the friction loss, and results in improved eii'iciency. The electric motor is secured .to an inwardly extending ilange I3 on the shroud 5 ring III by screws threaded into studs I4 which secure the end frame I5 of the motor in place. The end Iframe I5 is provided with a bearing l housing I8 for the motor shaft 1. V

The shroud ring I0 is resiliently supported on 5'0 the cup-shaped member 3 by means of resilient supports each of which comprises a rubber bushing I1 clamped between a nut I8 and a sleeve I9 by a bolt 2l extending from the outside of thev member 3 through the sleeve I9. The rubber 55 bushing is provided with a reduced portion 20 (el. zzo-111) a which extends through an opening in the shroud ring and prevents any metal-to-metal contact. Three o r four resilient supports of this nature are used equally spaced around the periphery of the motor. The cup-shaped member 3 is secured 5 to the outercasing by means of screws 22 which are threaded into the screws 2 I.

With this arrangement the electric motor and fan are resiliently supported by the resilient supports for shroud ring I0 and the shroud ring pro- 10 vides an annular passage for the discharge of air from the fan 6. Since the motor and the rubber bushings I1 are arranged within the shroud ring the rapidly whirling air currents discharged from the fan 6 do not strike the rubber'bushings and 15 do not strike the ymotor except at the streamlined rear portion thus decreasing the friction losses. rI'he air currents which strike the rear of the motor are used to cool the motor.

Due to the nature of this construction the mo- 2o tor, fan, and fan housing can all be assembled outside the cleaner casing and inserted as a unit.

At the right end of the casing I is hinged a cap 23 which is provided with a suitable coupling (not shown) to which a suctionhose 24 may be attached. The cap is secured to the casing by a trunk latch 23a. The other end of the hose 24 may be attached to a suitably shaped suction nozzle. Between the cap 23 and the fan housing is arranged a cylindrical bag 25, the open end of which is secured to a supporting ring 26 by means of a clamping band 21. The supporting ring 26 is provided with a ange 28 which abuts the end of the casing I and is faced with suitable gasket material which provides an air-tight joint between the end of the casing and the cap 23.. From the supporting ring 26 extend supporting arms 29 which are secured at their inner ends to a ring 30 which holds the outer walls of the bag in spaced relation to the inner walls of the casing I. The bag has a re-entrant portion 3| which fits around a tubular projection 32 projecting from the inlet 33 of the fan housing. The projecting portion 32 is provided with closely spaced perforations 34 through which the air 45 ilows.

iIn the use of the cleaner the dust laden air flows through the hose 24 into the bag 25. The air flowing through the re-entrant portion 3| of the bag causes this portion of the bag to be'drawn 50 around the member 32, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The irregular configuration of the bag is caused by the fact that the re-entrant portion 3l is of greater diameter than the projecting portion 32.

Due to the close spacing of the'perforations 34 55.

such as those indicated at 3l in Fig. 4, receive air from an area oi' the bag which'is greater than' the area of the perforations. This means that the eii'ective nltering area of the re-entrant portion 3| is in excess ofthe combinedv area ofl the perforations 3l but is oi' course somewhat less than the total area of the re-entrant portion. Some oi the air ilows through outer walls of the bag, along the space between the walls of the bag and the cleaner casing, and to the inlet'of the i'an housing through perforations 35 which are not covered by the re-entrant portion 3|. 'This arrangement provides an extended surface through which the air is ltered so that the bag will hold a large amount of dirt for a given pressure drop.

When the bag is to be emptied the cap 23 is swung to the open position shown in Fig. 3 and the bag is removed. The bag may then be inverted over a suitable receptacle and the reentrant portion 3| of the bag extended to the position shown in Fig. 2. A handle 38 is provided for the convenience of the operator. When in this position the operator may stand on the ange 28 of the bag, take hold of the handle 38, and shake the bag to loosen the dirt. The dirt which is loosened by shaking will remain within the bag. When the bag is to be re-inserted the portion 3| is pushed slightly below the ring 30 and the bag is then grasped by the supporting ring 26 and inserted into the cleaner. During this insertion the projecting member 32 pulls the re-entrant portion 3| into its proper position. 'Ihe construction and arrangement of the bag described above form no part of my invention, but are the invention of Jesse F. Carson and are being claimed in his application Serial No. 101,445, iiled September 18, 1936.

What I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In a vacuum cleaner of the type having the suction producing and dust separating means located within an enclosing casing, a cylindrical casing, a fan discharging peripherally to the casing, a shroud ring within the casing and spaced therefrom to provide an annular passage therebetween for the axial discharge of air from the fan, an, electric motor for driving the fan extending axially within said shroud ring, and means for resiliently supporting the motor from the casing including a resilient means arranged between the motor and the shroud ring whereby said resilient means is out of the path of the air discharged from the fan.

2. In a vacuum cleaner of the type having the suction producing and dust separating means located within an enclosing casing, a cylindrical casing, motor-fan assembly arranged axially in said casing and comprising a cylindrical fan housing secured to said casing, a motor arranged axially within said fan housing, a fan on the motor shaft discharging peripherally to said housing, a shroud ring arranged between the motor and the fan housing and spaced from the fan housing to provide an annular passage therebetween for the axial discharge of air from the fan. means for securing the motor to the shroud ring, and means for resiliently supporting the shroud ring from the casing including resilient means arranged between the motor and the shroud ring whereby said resilient means is out of the path of the air discharged from the Ian. y

3. In a vacuum cleaner of the type having the suction producing and dust separating means located within an enclosing casing, a cylindrical casing, a Ian discharging peripherally to the casing, a shroud ring within the casing and spaced therefrom to provide an annular passage therebetween for the axial discharge oi.' air from the fan, an electric motor for driving the fan, said motor being arranged axially in said casing and extending within the shroud ring, means for securing the motor to the shroud ring, and means for resiliently supporting the shroud ring from the casing including resilient means arranged between the motor and the shroud ring whereby said resilient means is out of the path ofthe air discharged from the fan. 4. In a vacuum cleaner of the type having the suction producing and dust separating .means located within an enclosing casing, a cylindrical casing, a motor-fan assembly insertable into the casing as a unit comprising a cylindrical fan housing, a motor extending axially within said housing, a fan on the motor shaft discharging peripherally to said housing, a shroud ring extending axially between the motor and the housing and spaced from the housing to provide an annular passage therebetween for. the axial dis charge of air from the fan, and means for resiliently supporting the shroud ring from the i'an housing including resilient means arranged between the motor and the shroud ring whereby said resilient means is out of the path ci the air discharged from the fan.

suction producing and dust separating means located within an enclosing casing, a cylindrical casing, a motor arranged axially within said casing and spaced therefrom, a fan on the motor shaft discharging peripherally to the casing, a shroud ring extending axially between the motor and the casing and spaced from the casing to provide an annular passage therebetween for the axial discharge of air from the fan, an inwardly extending flange on said shroud ring adjacent the fan, means for securing the motor to said flange whereby the motor and the i'an are supported by the shroud ring, and means for resilientlyl supporting the shroud ring from the casing including a resilient means arranged between the motor and the shroud ring whereby said resilient means is out of the path of the air dischargedfrom the fan.

HENRY T. LANG. 

